Incident Overview

Date: Friday 22 March 1991
Aircraft Type: de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter 300
Owner/operator: Polynesian Airlines
Registration Number: 5W-FAU
Location: Nuuuli – ÿ American Samoa
Phase of Flight: Standing
Casualties: Fatalities: / Occupants: 1
Component Affected: Aircraft propeller and control surfaces.Aircraft propeller and control surfaces.
Investigating Agency: NTSBNTSB
Category: Accident
An aircraft landed on a dark night and was instructed to use a ground guide to proceed to the gate. Despite this instruction, no ground guide was provided. Airport personnel approached the aircraft, shut down the engines, and positioned it into the wind, effectively placing it in a position where the left side of the aircraft and the left spinning propeller were shaded by the gate lighting. A guard was fatally injured by the spinning propeller.An aircraft landed on a dark night and was instructed to use a ground guide to proceed to the gate. Despite this instruction, no ground guide was provided. Airport personnel approached the aircraft, shut down the engines, and positioned it into the wind, effectively placing it in a position where the left side of the aircraft and the left spinning propeller were shaded by the gate lighting. A guard was fatally injured by the spinning propeller.

Description

THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED TO THE GATE AFTER LANDING ON A DARK NIGHT. ALTHOUGH COMPANY INSTRUCTIONS PRESCRIBES THAT A GROUND GUIDE BE ASSIGNED TO DIRECT THE AIRCRAFT TO THE GATE NONE WERE PROVIDED. THE BAGGAGE HANDLERS AND SECURITY GUARD APPROACHED THE AIRCRAFT AS IT STOPPED AT THE GATE AND THE CREW SHUT DOWN THE ENGINES. DUE TO OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS THE AIRCRAFT WAS POSITIONED INTO THE WIND WHEN THE ENGINES WERE SHUT DOWN. THE ANGLE OF THE GATE LIGHTING PLACED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE LEFT SPINNING PROPELLER IN SHADOWS. AFTER THE ENGINES WERE SHUT DOWN THE CAPTAIN OPENED THE LEFT COCKPIT DOOR TO EGRESS THE AIRCRAFT AND SAW THE GUARD ON THE GROUND UNDER THE LEFT PROPELLER. THE GUARD HAD BEEN FATALLY INJURED BY THE SPINNING PROPELLER. Probable Cause: THE INADEQUATE LIGHTING OF THE GATE AT THE TERMINAL AND INADEQUATE TRAINING OF THE SECURITY GUARD BY COMPANY PERSONNEL. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS A DARK NIGHT CONDITION.

Primary Cause

Inadequate lighting conditions and inadequate training of security personnel.Inadequate lighting conditions and inadequate training of security personnel.

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